A Challenge To My Competition

Last year I went to a funeral of a very dear former radio colleague. I won't mention his name, but he was loved and respected by everyone he knew and still is.

I haven't worked in radio for over 10 years for various reasons.

Many are personal but ultimately, like anyone changing their career, I'd just had enough and wanted to move on.

As I looked around the church, I saw a sea of familiar faces from the industry.

Old friends, old competitors and other event professionals who worked with everyone and generally liked everyone.

One thing hit me.

Everyone was old.

One of us was dead.

None of that one-up manship, bitter rivalry, nasty commenting, gang mentality mattered any more.

Everyone was fighting against their age, their energy and their relevance.

Nothing else mattered.

I deeply regretted, missing out on spending quality time with such interesting people in the past because we were too obsessed with fighting a battle that only existed in our own heads.

I apologise to everyone for my part in that and realise that's why I actually left the industry.

This is a very important insight for me.

Over the last few years I have seen some amazing things happen to my business.

It's very exciting and I am very grateful.

But so is the rise in my competition.

People (who will remain unnamed), copy my advertising, my website, my profile, my business model and approach all my clients.

They also waste time making content about why they are better than me, calling themselves 'award winning' too blah blah blah...

It's fun to watch, but what a waste of time and effort.

I am older and know that from experience.

I wanted to contact each one, so we could meet, share ideas and create a community but as I am blessed to be so busy, this will have to do.

THIS is a message to all of them.

STOP thinking scarcity.

STOP thinking 'It's either them OR me'.

STOP thinking the money and business will run out if someone else gets it.

This is NOT good for you.

It creates stress, negative thinking and underhand tactics.

It devalues what you do and make you want to drop your price to be ultra competitive when in truth the opposite should be the case.

You are my peer group now.

We should be closer.

Here are my thoughts...

1. I mentor all my public speakers TO BE BETTER THAN ME. I want them to be amazing and live an incredible life sharing their message across the globe. There are over 8 billion potential customers. My audience may never meet yours but if they do, they will be blessed by our content.
2. Raise your game. If you are worried about the competition, you are not good enough. Get better. Learn to make a better YOU rather than a lesser me.
3. The race is against yourself. Be better than YOU were the day before NOT better than anyone else. Everyone else is a running buddy, pace setter or also ran. One day, you will know that your own journey is all that ever mattered.
4. Value yourself and your contribution to life. People have money. If you raise your standards, they will pay if they value you enough. If you drop your price, they will see you as a commodity, like ordering fast food or going for a haircut. If the company pleading poverty to you about your asking price, had all their internet, water or electricity switched off today, do you think they could find the cash immediately to get it all switched on? 100% yes. They have the cash and resources. They just don't value you enough to spend it on you. That's your battleground right there.
5. Don't drop your standards. Years ago when I was a radio DJ, I had the best New Years Eve party in town. It was a 70's disco night and 3,500 revellers dressed up to celebrate it. Next New Years Eve across town there were 13 copycat events. They saturated the market, some made a real bad mess of it and they killed the appeal to the club going public. I took my show outside of the UAE and appeared with it in a different country for the NEXT TWO YEARS. That's where I met my wife and a number of amazing friends.
6. Don't drop your price. So many event and conference organizers approach me now and ASK ME TO WORK FOR FREE!!! Apparently, that's what all my peers will accept. WTF? When did this happen? What part of free pays your rent? Will your landlord forego your cheque because you are a nice person who helps others? No chance. You'll be living in your car if you still have one in no time. Say 'No'. Make them raise their game. Let them have a crappy event going forward with someone else. They DO NOT value you if 'free' is the only offer on the table. Do you think the venue is free? What about the catering? How about the signage, logistics and staff? So why are YOU?
7. Recommend me. Ask me and I will recommend you too if you are up to the right standard. Most clients want a fresh speaker every year. It's the nature of the business. Basic sales logic says that if I suggest they should talk to you next year, they will do. And vice versa. Let's talk about that and keep our value high rather than chipping away and undercutting each other.
8. Diversify. What do you do that's different? Who are your target audience? No. Who are they really? Why do some people hire you rather than others? Ask them. That's a big clue of who wants more of you. Minorities? Rich people? Students? Corporates? NPOs? Networking groups? Women? Men? Schools? Find out and target them. Let the other markets run red with a daily price war, whilst you concentrate on creating a WORLDWIDE brand for one type of customer. Google Blue Ocean Strategy.
9. Pace yourself. This is a one person race against yourself. Not me. Not the person who took your last gig at the last minute. Just you. Keep moving forward and enjoy the ride more.
10. Don't panic. You are already ahead of the curve because you have started on your journey. There will be good times and bad times but even the worse times are happening whilst doing a job you love. 80% of employees can't even comprehend the freedom, exhilaration, opportunities and rewards you experience. They can however, identify with the fear of losing everything and being beholden to a boss, company or faceless decision maker who doesn't know them, doesn't care and has the power to sack them at any time based on a dinner conversation, a news headline or that they didn't like your haircut.

I want you to succeed.

I want you to train all clients about why we are worth so much money for a 45 minute speech.

I want to be able to share ideas and insights with you knowing they will help you grow your market rather than be used against me to try and shrink mine.

But if you concentrate on hampering my journey instead of improving yours, I am both flattered and sad.

You deserve better than that.

Your audience deserves better than that.

Your legacy will be about being a pale imitation of someone else and that's really no legacy at all.

One day, we will be in one room together.

It might even be at my funeral.

I hope not, but if it is, my message is this (in the wise words of Oscar Wilde)...

Be yourself because everyone else is taken.

Keep up the great work and break a leg (showbiz term).

Say 'Hi' when you see me too.

I am happy to talk about strategic alliances, let off steam with you and encourage you to be bigger and do better any time.

Please book me in advance to avoid any disappointment.

x

Dave Crane won the Al Arouwad/ MTV award as the best motivational speaker in the MENA region. His events include 17 years hosting Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens .

He is also an award-winning broadcaster, NLP hypnotherapist, author and speaker coach. In his career, he’s run radio stations, coached many of the world’s favourite brands and worked alongside some of the biggest names in entertainment and sports.

Connect with Dave directly and watch his online motivational TV show ‘Turbo Charge Your Brand TV’ for business tips and interviews with Jack Canfield, Brian Tracy and Dr John Grey.

Find out about Dave’s Comedy Stage Hypnosis Show too.

#speaker #motivation #speakertraining #mentor #motivational #dubai #mydubai #dubaievents #events #live events #flash #flashevents   #publicspeaking #chokysitohang #communication #sekolahpublicspeaking #growthhacking #womanentrepreneur #beingboss #workanywhere #webmarketing #inboundmarketing #socialmediastrategy #successtips #professionaldevelopment #freelancelife #savvybusinessowner #successmindset #entrepreneursofinstagram #marketing101 #instagrammarketing #worksmarternotharder #businessplan #entrepreneurquotes #successstory #successfulwomen #businesspassion #empowerwomen #businesstips #entrepreneurial #womeninbiz #keytosuccess #money #businessman #entrepreneur #inspiration